Renegade
by Earth and Fire
Summary: A series of drabbles focusing on Rose. Banished from the Hunts Clan for her disloyalty, Rose is now in control of her life. So now the exHuntsgirl has all the time in the world. One question remains: what will she do with it?
1. I'll Be There

Drabble 1:

I'll Be There

------------------------------------------------------

_He can handle them._

ZZT! A bolt of green energy hit the American Dragon in his right side. Furiously, he struck out at the offending Huntsboy.

They're getting better. 

BAM! Another Huntsboy brought his staff down on the American Dragon's back.

"Cheap shot," the spectator growled disdainfully

A roar of fury and the American Dragon lashed out with a tail sweep which the Huntsboy behind him easily avoided. The other Huntsboy slashed the dragon's chest with his staff. The American Dragon roared painfully.

From a perch above the action, stunning blue eyes were dark with worry.

_They should've been done by now._

The old man had been injured by one of the Huntsboys and was struggling to get back into the fight. Fu was working on opening a safe. Hunts Man and the Clan weren't here for this battle. It was a solo mission for the boys and they were doing well. The American Dragon and his entourage were here to prevent the Hunts Clan from getting their hands on some ancient texts.

"Come _on_, Dragon," the owner of the blue eyes muttered.

Her earpiece crackled and she adjusted it.

"How's it going?" 

A kick. An angry roar. Energy popping.

"What do you think? He's getting creamed down there," anxiety rose the pitch in her voice.

"You gonna help him or what?" 

"I don't like to get involved."

Chuckling.

"_Yeah. That's what you said last time."_

"Dallas?"

"Yeah?" 

"Shut up."

The fight was picking up and the Huntsboys were getting the best of the dragon. It was obvious that the old man was helpless. Growling in irritation, the spectator sprang into action.

A Huntsboy swung his staff, intending to slash one of the American Dragon's wings. That move could almost insure that he would never fly again.

"Aiya!"

The kick was well aimed and successful. Her opponent fell to his knees, gasping for air.

"Think you can handle _one_ of them?" Rose barked.

Jake nodded and turned to the lone Huntsboy. He wasn't so bold without his friend.

The Huntsboy Rose had previously taken out was back on his feet again. Rose could see the abundant self-assurance in his eyes.

"Hey baby, what's a fine girl like you doing out this late?" he cooed.

_As if _one_ Jake wasn't bad enough…_

Swift as lightning, Rose's hand dropped to her hip and withdrew a little ball from one of the pouches on her belt. She threw it at the Huntsboy's feet and ran. It exploded, emitting a thick, yellowish green smoke that smelled terrible and choked the hunter. He fell to his knees, wheezing and hacking.

"Hurry it up, will you?" Rose called over her shoulder.

"I'm tryin'!" Fu yelled back. "Lock picking is an art and—WHOA!"

He ducked as a large fireball sailed over his head, barely missing him.

"Watch it, kid!"

Jake lashed out with his tail, but Huntsboy easily leapt over it.

"Give it up, Dragon!" the Huntsboy shouted cockily. "You can't touch my mad ski—OW!"

Rose had launched herself at him, high-heeled boots first, and hit him square in the stomach. There was no doubt he and his friend were out of the fight for a short time. Jake could now turn his attention to Rose.

"Rose, I know this is a bad time, but—"

"Badabing!" Fu called triumphantly, pulling the texts from the safe.

When Jake turned back to Rose, only air was in front of him. Just like last time. His heart sank, and with so much disappointment like lead in his stomach, he was surprised to make the trip back to Canal Street Electronics carrying both his dragon master and animal guardian.

-------------

Camouflaged by shadows and back on her original perch, Rose watched him fly away with a heavy heart. It was cold living in her isolated world with so much distance separating her and someone she cared so much about. She would be there for him whenever he needed her most. At least she could do that much for him.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just an idea I had.

The next chapter in 'To Love the Enemy' is almost done and it's longer than the fifth.


	2. Untraceable

I forgot to put this earlier, but I do not own American Dragon: Jake Long.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Drabble 2:**

**Untraceable**

-------------------------------

Being independent is far from being cake and ice cream. Especially when you're fifteen years old, and the ex-Huntsgirl.

Food is hard to come by, and not many people are willing to help someone with such a shady past. So when assistance was offered, Rose accepted. She couldn't afford to be picky or proud, but she wouldn't take without giving back. Everything she has received over the past year has been earned. She wasn't a freeloader.

When it came to supplies for the more unusual aspect of Rose's life, she had to be choosy.

For safety precautions, Rose had many suppliers, though none of them knew her other associates. Some suppliers gave information, some ingredients for potions, and some contributed to her weapons. Each supplier had one task like a worker on an assembly line. They never saw the finished product or knew what their portions were smaller bits of. Only one person knew much about her and that was Dallas.

He was in his late twenties, and almost like a big brother for Rose. He asked questions and kept an eye on her. Dallas always kept a cot for her in the closet, she knew where the spare key was hidden, and there was always a hot meal and shower offered to her. She accepted most of his offers more than she wanted to.

Today Dallas was in a questioning mood. He was supposed to be helping her with modifications to her handheld computer. Instead, he was asking about the sources where Rose got her things. When she wouldn't tell him, he asked why.

"I like to be as untraceable as possible," Rose replied coolly.

Dallas stopped his work, swiveled his chair around and looked at her.

"I thought the Hunts Clan wasn't after you," he said.

"They aren't," Rose admitted, inspecting her weapons before replacing them in her backpack. "But it's not really the Hunts Clan I'm worried about. With fish like the American Dragon in the sea, why bother with minnow?"

"More like a barracuda," Dallas remarked, earning a glare from Rose.

"I laid low long enough for them to lose interest, so they think I moved or something," Rose continued smoothly. "But I think bigger organizations might want to find me."

Dallas leaned forward. Concern. It was like a flashing neon sign on his forehead. The man couldn't hide his emotions with a bag over his head. Rose finished packing the bag and zipped it shut.

"I'm the ex-Huntsgirl," Rose explained. "I have connections all over the place. I know things about the Hunts Clan only an insider could know. It's dangerous to have that kind of information."

"So is that why you keep the American Dragon at arm's length?" Dallas asked.

Rose stopped, allowing an exasperated sigh to escape.

"I'm sure he would be a very useful asset, but you're way off."

Dallas raised an eyebrow.

'_Asset? Is that what you call him now?'_ his disapproving look seemed to ask.

Rose slipped the shoulder straps on and adjusted the weight until it was comfortably positioned. Dallas stretched and sat up straight.

"So if you don't get anything from him, why don't you just stay out of it when the Hunts Clan picks on him?"

Rose said nothing, but she didn't have to. The look in her eyes and the silence spoke clearly.

'_You know the answer to that.'_

Silently, Rose walked out of the apartment. The door clicked behind her and the lock automatically engaged itself.

Dallas sighed and turned back to his work. She'd be better off with the dragon. Everyone knew it. He worried about her, but she was capable of handling herself. Anyone who dealt with Rose could tell you that.

"Still," he said to no one but himself, "she'd be better off with the dragon."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rose is coming off as cold here, but she's got bigger things than romance to worry about. That's the whole idea behind these drabbles.

Okay, I hinted JxR again. But it wouldn't be much of drabble if I didn't include the Am Drag in here somewhere. It's _his_ show after all…


	3. Sweet Potato

Drabble 3:

Sweet Potato

------------------------------------------------------

"Oof!"

"Ow!"

Rose rubbed her shoulder where she'd collided with another pedestrian, a lanky youth with unruly brown hair.

"Dude, I'm sor—Rose?" the boy abruptly stopped apologizing and gaped at her.

Rose met his eyes for the first time and recognized the boy she ran into. He was Jake's friend, the one with the unusual name. The trio of friends was rarely ever spotted alone. Even when Jake was doing his dragon thing, his pals Trixie and Spud were there. Rose expected the rest of the pack to come strolling—or skate boarding as Spud had been—up the walk. For the first time in Rose's recollection, Spud was alone.

He seemed surprised to see her, but Rose knew Jake had told his friends about her occasional appearances so it wasn't _too_ much of a shock.

"Oh hi," Rose faltered, uncertain.

"Wow…this is awkward," Spud observed, chuckling nervously.

He glanced down and noticed her backpack lying ripped open on the concrete, spilling odds and ends and high-tech gadgets. His eyes widened at the mess.

"Did _I_ do that?" he asked.

He looked so guilty, but in a sad-puppyish way. Rose cracked a smile.

"No," she assured him, "it ripped before you came."

She bent to assess the damage. Half of the backpack's bottom had come apart at the seams. Thankfully, nothing was broken. Spud squatted across from her.

"I've been meaning to get a new bag, " Rose admitted. "Serves me right for procrastinating."

Truth was, she hadn't procrastinated. She didn't have the money to buy one and her backpack hadn't even given the slightest hint that it would finally collapse.

Spud's black eyes glanced over at Rose while she was examining something that looked like a palm pilot. He could tell she was living the life of an outcast. Her clothes were beginning to show the abuse she put them through and he noticed a few scars. She looked a little thinner than he'd remembered, but there was no doubt that she was healthy. If there was one thing to be said for Rose, she was a survivor.

Satisfied with Rose's physical condition, Spud began to search for a solution to her backpack problem. Suddenly, it hit him.

"Rose?"

She looked up.

"My mom got me a backpack for Christmas, but then my Grandma sent me one with a pocket for my board, so I didn't use the other one," Spud explained. "It's only been used a couple of times. You think you'd want it?"

Spud could tell by the expression on Rose's face that he'd caught her off guard. Knowing her reputation, he guessed such an occasion was rare. She looked unsure of what to do or say, so Spud stepped in with a suggestion.

"I live just a few minutes away from here, do you wanna come check it out?" he offered.

Rose glanced around at the mess before her. She couldn't replace her backpack anytime soon, especially not with such a tight budget. Without waiting for her response, Spud started picking up random objects and placing them in his backpack.

'_Just come on_,' his actions said. '_You can trust me._'

Smiling, Rose began to help reload her cargo into a Spud's bag.

------------------------------------------------------

Makes me want to hug Spud.


	4. Only Natural

Drabble 4:

Only Natural

------------------------------------------------------

It was only natural for the predator to defend her prey from other predators. It was just the Huntsgirl in her.

That was what she told herself.

It was only natural for her to seek ways of bettering herself. Besides she needed a good challenge and the Dark Dragon was the ultimate opponent. After all, if Lao Shi and Jake could handle him, why couldn't she?

That was what she told Dallas.

It was only natural to be injured in battle. She could take a hit, so why all the fuss over a few scrapes?

That was what she told Jake.

If they were only scrapes, why was she sitting on a stool in the backroom of Canal Street Electronics with Lao Shi and Fu bandaging her up? Trixie and Spud were standing nearby, cringing every time Rose sucked in a breath.

There was an ugly scorch mark on her right leg. She had a cut on her cheek that stung with every facial expression. Rose's limbs were battered and bleeding from the blows they'd received. Smirking, she reflected that somewhere there was a black dragon in worse shape than she was.

Throughout the fight, Jake had seen every blow befall her. He could remember the Dark Dragon's claw grazing Rose's arm when she'd failed to move fast enough. The one memory of the entire ordeal that stood out most was of Rose protesting medical treatment. She was so determined to make it on her own and that worried him. Tonight, Jake hadn't given her an option and he was glad.

Fu examined the gash on her left arm. It wasn't too deep, but even with his best potions it would take time to heal. Bottom line: Rose wouldn't be fighting for a few days.

"Do you have a death wish?" Fu muttered.

He applied a few drops of some blue liquid to the gash. Rose grimaced.

"A girl's gotta get her kicks somewhere," she retorted, tightly.

"Well why don't you go shopping like normal girls?" Spud piped up.

Rose chuckled.

"Think about what you just said, then think about who you're talking to."

Spud considered it for a moment.

"Right. Nevermind."

Fu began wrapping gauze at her wrist and worked his way to her elbow, apologizing for hurting her. With Jake, he'd had plenty of practice with dressing wounds, so blood didn't make him squeamish.

Jake was silent. His arm around her waist made her squirm more than the bandages being applied.

"Better to die in battle than live a coward," Rose recited an old lesson from long gone training sessions. "That's the first rule of the Huntsclan."

"You guys must have a short life expectancy," Fu commented, not looking up from his work.

Trixie's usually sardonic voice piped up, "So if ya'll got such a thing against cowards, why run when a fight gets too tough?"

Rose narrowed her eyes and rejoined audaciously, "Huntsclan rule number two: when in doubt, glow it out."

She was rewarded with blank stares and a chorus of "huh?"

"It refers to the visual effects of teleporting," she explained, "but it just restates that saying 'live today, fight tomorrow'."

She raised an eyebrow at Trixie, boldly challenging the other girl. Trixie frowned. She crossed her arms, but she remained silent.

Jake paid no attention to Trixie or the exchange going on between the two girls. Instead, he focused all his attentions on deciphering the subtle vibes between him and the sprightly girl whose body his arm wound around. Out of the corner of his eye, Jake examined her body language. She tilted her body slightly away from his, constantly fidgeted and periodically shifted in her seat. He clearly understood the message she was sending him.

Yielding to her wishes and defying his, Jake released her.

The minute his arm uncoiled itself from her, Rose felt disoriented and dizzy. Shapes slid in and out of focus. Her world began to tilt and spin. She shut her eyes, which only made her feel worse. She clutched the stool's seat, trying to steady herself. She looked like a drunkard who'd had one drink too many.

"Jake…" she murmured faintly.

In an instant he was by her side, using both his arms and his body as an anchor. Rose offered up no resistance, leaning into him and laying her hands on his shoulders, her head nestled under his chin. With something solid to hold on to, the room began to slow and she could see the blurry shapes of Trixie, Fu, Spud and Lao Shi. The fuzzy outline that was Jake took up most her sights and brought a wisp of smile to her lips.

All of Rose's weight depended on Jake for support, but he hadn't one complaint. Save for the circumstances that led them to this position. He felt something within him being fulfilled while he held her. Warmth from her body soothed away the dull ache in his chest. For a little while, he could imagine she was his and she wouldn't be gone as soon as he let go.

Rose felt brave enough to try closing her eyes again. At first, it felt like she was on a merry-go-round and someone gave it one good shove. She felt nauseous and nearly lost her grip. Jake's arms tightened around her, sending her further into a warm, soap-scented abyss she never wanted to leave.

Just as soon as the sickness had come, it abated. Rose opened her eyes to a clear, tilt-free world.

"Note to self," she mumbled against Jake's chest. "The Dark Dragon does not play well with others."

Jake chuckled. Rose laughed quietly along with him.

Though Spud was less impetuous than his comrades, he couldn't stop the inevitable question from spilling from his mouth.

"Why'd you fight him, anyway?"

Rose felt her cheeks grow hot. She heard Jake draw in a breath, heart thudding against his chest. She felt his ebony eyes expectantly gazing down at her.

She paused, thinking of her answer. Discarding the excuses, Rose spoke straight from her heart.

"It was only natural," she said, smiling softly at Jake.

------------------------------------------------------

Back to the Jake/Rose…I just can't resist it.


	5. Collide

RadiantBeam asked me to do a pair of drabbles for two of her characters. So, here's to you RB!

Also, I don't own American Dragon: Jake Long, but I do own Dallas.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Drabble 5: Collide

The evening started off simple enough with Rose leaving Central Park after a long walk. She'd looked up to admire the skyscrapers all lit up for the night when a slim form clad in Huntsclan red crossed her line of sight.

'_That's no trainee_,' she realized. '_Those are apprentice standards._'

Rose felt an almost urgent impulse to see what this person was up to and she knew what she had to do. She whipped out her cell phone and rapidly dialed Dallas's number. Even as she did that, Rose turned into an ally and climbed the fire escape. The minute Dallas picked up, she grunted a brusque "hi" and went straight into business.

"Turn on the GPS," she ordered tersely. "I want you to keep up with me and remain on standby."

"_Huntsclan?_" he asked.

"Apprentice," Rose corrected. "Maybe the Huntsgirl."

She topped the fire escape, but she couldn't see the apprentice anywhere.

"_Leave her alone, Rose,"_ Dallas growled. _"Dragon Boy and the old man are out of town and you'll be screwed if her posse comes out to play."_

"Magus Bizarre is hardly 'out of town'," Rose retorted with a grunt as she gingerly slipped onto the rooftop. "Besides, I don't need them."

"_Damn it, Rose! You're such an idiot! _"

There was a fizzling pop on Rose's end of the line and then the dial tone. She wasn't the type to hang up mid-call and especially not at a time like this. There was only one explanation…

---------------------------

The cell phone laid three feet away, smoking and half melted. Rose calmly turned, knowing exactly who she would find.

Huntsgirl's staff hummed, already building up energy for another shot. Her hair fell in a dark plait over her shoulder and her eyes were like blue fire surging straight up from the earth's core.

"You got guts, hon," Rose conceded. "Though your aim could use a little polishing."

Huntsgirl's eyes narrowed with wicked satisfaction as she tapped her left cheek with her finger. Rose mirrored her and her fingertips discovered blood and a nasty gash where the lethal energy had nicked her skin.

"I retract my previous statement."

The staff gave off an eerie green glow that reflected in the eyes of Huntsgirls both past and present. This Huntsgirl was nothing like the one Rose had been. She was ruthless, silent and rumors said that even some of the older, full-fledged Clan members sidestepped her. Even so, indecision stirred in her dark blue eyes.

The moment of hesitation passed and Huntsgirl shifted her staff for a better grip. Her mind was made up and Rose prepared herself for a fight.

Huntsgirl turned her back on Rose and strode towards the edge of the building's roof.

"W—wait!" Rose sputtered.

Huntsgirl halted, but she did not turn.

"Are you just going to leave like that?" Rose asked, disbelieving.

"It wouldn't be much of a fight," Huntsgirl shrugged. "You have grown soft, _Rose_."

She murmured Rose's name as though her identity was a special secret between them and the hinted intimacy of it sent a chill shooting through her veins.

Huntsgirl continued to stride towards the edge of the roof. Rose, however, wasn't willing to let the huntress off so easily and she followed.

"Why are you lurking around rooftops at this time of night anyway?" she demanded.

Huntsgirl whirled and the point of her staff was at Rose's throat.

"Stop meddling, lest you find out more than you cared to know," she snarled.

The staff pressed a bit into Rose's skin for emphasis. There was a strange mixture of hatred and turmoil in the young huntress's dark eyes.

"Do not follow me," she warned quietly.

She turned again and ran the rest of the way to the roof's end, then leapt onto the next one. Rose stood rooted to the spot, completely stunned.

---------------------------

Two in the morning found Rose sitting atop the roof of her old middle school. She'd used a pay phone to call Dallas and say that she was fine. Any questions he asked were answered with a shady "later."

Huntsgirl's dark blue eyes had burned themselves into her memory and questions tumbled end over end in her mind. Her cheek throbbed dully, but it had stopped bleeding. She was sure the side of her face looked pretty nasty smeared with dried blood, but she didn't really care.

Something in Huntsgirl's voice sounded hauntingly familiar, but she couldn't place it. Then again, she wasn't sure she _wanted_ to know the identity of the mysterious Huntsgirl. She remembered the last time she'd discovered another person's alter ego and it was an experience she wasn't too keen on repeating.

"Ignorance is bliss," she mumbled.

She stood and glanced over at the horizon. Dallas would likely send Dragon Boy after her if she didn't head back soon. Thinking about her bloodied cheek, she decided to clean up first and say that she'd slipped on her way down the fire escape. The phone had shattered when she fell, she'd tell him, and she'd dumped it in the trash. Huntsgirl had lost her and the incident on the rooftop had never happened.

She would lie and he would know.


	6. Ignorance is Bliss

This is the partner drabble to _Collide_ and the second of RadiantBeam's requests.

Also, I revised _Collide_ a bit so it would be more in sync with this drabble. You might want to go back and read it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Drabble 6: Ignorance is Bliss

The sky groggily shifted hues from dusky pink to a gray-purple haze. The colors changed at such a crawling pace that it seemed someone held the remote to time and paused it at sunset.

Rose sat alone on the bank of a wide river that flowed at a slow and easy pace.

'_Someone will come along,'_ Rose assured herself.

Her thoughts echoed forlornly in the dream realm though her lips never formed a sound. The last thing she remembered in the waking world was descending the middle school's fire escape and loosing her footing on the ladder.

The sun finally sank behind the mountains in the distance and the valley was swathed in enormous shadows. When the sky became blackish blue and dappled with constellations, Rose watched the moon as it began its solitary crossing.

Time in the dream realm crept slowly along so dreams could go on forever if the real world never interrupted. What seemed like hardly an hour there could very well be a full night in the real world. Rose had no idea how long she'd been out and that cold knot of anxiety in her stomach tightened.

'_Someone will come along.'_

It was the mantra she dutifully repeated, though it sounded dull and hollow.

Rose had thought to use her dream charm to alert someone, but she remembered that she had lost the trinket long ago. Without the dream charm's assistance, Rose would be marooned in this tranquil valley until she awoke or her subconscious naturally changed the scenery.

The doorway from her mind to the dream corridor was sealed shut by a self-induced spell and only those who meant to enter Rose's mind with a pure and good motive could bypass it. That way, all the secrets within her mind were safeguarded.

Suddenly, she was alerted to the presence of another as if a silent alarm had been tripped in her subconscious. Rose was on her feet instantly and she pinpointed her visitor's precise location. It was a supernatural power she gained in her own dream realm, she could track anything or anyone at whim if they intruded into her mind.

Rose's dream altered itself immediately and the calm mountain scene was exchanged for a vast, empty plain. It was dirty, flat and what little grass there was grew in small, sickly patches of brownish-green. The sky above was brilliant blue, but cloudless and the blinding sun permanently hung in high-noon position. No landmarks to hide behind and no shadows in which to lurk. It was another defense designed to guard her mind, plus any visitor would have to face her head on.

Jake and company had come once on Rose's request to test the desert scene out. Spud had said she might as well have put up a gigantic sign that read "trespassers will be shot on sight" and then he began a debate with Trixie on whether or not the sign should be translated into other languages for international visitors. He also suggested that this desert scene was just the right atmosphere for fiestas and Rose should throw one. Then he begged her to invite him to the fiesta because he loved nachos.

"I liked the other one better."

A girl garbed from head to toe in the deep red uniform of an apprentice Huntress had spoken. Her mask was tucked into her belt and she surveyed the dream scene for a moment longer with a twinkle of amusement in her eyes. The mountain range had been much more pleasant, no doubt. Her gaze drifted ever so easily to Rose and a smirk lifted a corner of her mouth.

"Paranoid?" the girl teased lightly, gesturing to the recently changed scenery.

Though Rose's lips did not move, her voice retorted, _'Who's the one slinking around like the mouse in the cat's kitchen?'_

The girl shuddered.

"I hate it when you do that," she grumbled, rubbing the goose bumps from her arms.

'_Do what?'_ Rose's detached voice asked, innocently.

Her lips remained still as ever, but she looked on the verge of exploding from glee.

"Roseanna Kate!" the other girl screeched. "You look _possessed_ when you talk without moving your lips. Stop it!"

Rose's light chuckle echoed softly around them.

'_I can't, _Danielle Megan_,' _her slightly echoing voice declared, emphatically drawling her friend's name.

Then in a softer tone Rose added, _'I have no control over my dream realm since I lost my dream charm. So the only way I can talk is by projecting my thoughts into the dream, but that is not important right now. Listen, my body is lying unconscious in…'_

"Canal Street Electronics," Dani interrupted tersely, "along with mine, but that is not what I came here to tell you."

The knot in Rose's stomach had loosened, but now a new concern was plenty fuel for anxiety.

"Huntsman has got some leads on you," Dani murmured gravely. "The last time you fought the Huntsclan, he managed to gather up the residue from your smoke bomb and tracked one of the materials to a supplier. That little creep told Huntsman everything he knows about you for a handful of leprechaun gold. For a couple of extra coins, he followed you around for weeks and relayed information back to Huntsman. He now has a list of nearly everyone you do business with. The only one he doesn't know about is Dallas."

Rose did not burst forth in outrage nor did she look especially surprised. Around her, the desert scene began to fade back into the mountain range. The sky darkened, bejeweled by hundreds of winking stars, and the pearly moon had resumed her lofty perch. The river meandered past once more and Rose sat on the gently sloping bank with her knees hugged to her chest.

'_I met Huntsgirl before I fell,'_ Rose began in a subdued tone.

Dani gnawed on her lip.

"I know."

Rose dipped her fingertips into the river and she imagined mountain water must be cold, but her dream senses were somewhat dull now. She drew figure eights with her hand and she felt strange satisfaction in disturbing the water's calm demeanor.

'_There was something off about her,'_ Rose continued, thoughtfully.

Deciding to let the river have her peace, Rose lifted her hand and watched tiny droplets fall from her fingertips.

'_This Huntsgirl isn't like the rest of the clan,'_ she concluded. _'She still possesses a little of her humanity and a sense of honor.'_

Guilt had been clawing at Dani's insides like a manic beast for two years and she could not take much more of it.

"By chance, did you notice anything _familiar_ about her?" Dani prodded hopefully.

Sardonic chuckling eerily similar to Huntsman's dark laughter echoed softly around the teenagers. Dani suppressed the tremor that crawled up her spine.

'_I make it a point to AVOID discovering people's alter egos. I learned my lesson there, thank you._'

Rose was headstrong to a fault. Frustrated and desperate, Dani dropped to her knees beside Rose and clasped both her friend's shoulders firmly so they were now facing each other.

"Stop being so stubborn and take someone's advice for once!" she cried urgently.

Outbursts like this were so uncharacteristic of Dani that Rose was taken aback. Dani squeezed Rose's shoulder apologetically.

"You need to know just who you are dealing with," she coaxed. "Phoebe and I care about you and…"

'_Phoebe wanted nothing to do with the Huntsclan,_' Rose cut her off sharply. _'I don't want her getting involved with this.'_

She was so protective of Phoebe and it broke Dani's heart. She released Rose and stared at the grass between them, unable to meet Rose's piercing eyes. Huntsgirl's voice, her indecision…the gears began to turn in Rose's mind. Then the unbidden realization came to her.

'_Not Phoebe,'_ Rose mouthed in disbelief along with her croaking projected voice.

She began to tremble and her breathing was short, labored.

'_Dani,'_ she pleaded in anguish. _'Dani, please say something. Tell me she isn't Phoebe.'_

Slowly, Dani tilted her head back and she swept her hair back from her face. Her eyes were wet and bloodshot.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Something inside Rose shattered into a thousand bleeding pieces.

-----------------------------------------------------

Jake sat in a chair beside Rose's unconscious body stretched out upon the sofa. He hadn't left Rose's side since he'd gotten here. Behind him, Jake heard a strange noise that sounded like a strangled whimper. He glanced over his shoulder at Dani, who was lying on a cot across the room.

"No," Rose moaned in despair.

Jake whipped his head around, but she was still asleep. He knew what was going on in the dream realm and he wished with all his might that could be there for Rose. It wasn't his place to interfere now and he knew how badly this was going to hurt for her. He'd been there.

Tears trickled from the corners of Rose's eyes. Jake struggled with his own will power and forced himself not to reach for his dream charm. Instead, he took Rose's hand in his and pressed it to his lips.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't own Dani or Phoebe, but I didn't want to put that in sooner or else I would have spoiled it.


End file.
